Tool for compressing and inserting compressible strips in slots



April 19, 1966 D. D. BROWN 3,246,390

TOOL FOR COMPRESSING AND INSERTING COMPRESSIBLE STRIPS IN SLOTS 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 10, 1963 W m R g m. D m 0 M E D Apnl 19, 1966D. D. BROWN 3,246,390

TOOL FOR GOMPRESSING AND INSERTING COMPRESSIBLE STRIPS IN SLOTS FiledApril 10, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. DELMONT D. BROWN A ril 19,1966 D. D. BROWN 3, ,3

TOOL FOR COMPRESSING AND INSERTING COMPRESSIBLE STRIPS IN SLOTS 4Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 10, 1963 INVENTOR. I BELMONT D. BROWN Aprli19, 1966 D. D. BROWN 3,246,390

TOOL FOR COMPRESSING AND INSERTING COMPRESSIBLE STRIPS IN SLOTS FiledApril 10, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. DELMONT D. BROWN United StatesPatent 3 246 390 Tom FOR coMPRizssiNG AND INSERTING COMPRESSIBLE STRIPSIN SLOTS Belmont D. Brown, North Baltimore, Ohio, assignor to The D. S.Brown Company, North Baltimore, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr.10, 1963, Ser. No. 271,957 6 Claims. (Cl. 29-235) This invention, ingeneral, relates to tools for compressing and inserting strips in slots.The invention is particularly adapted for compressing and insertingresilient highway joint seals in the slots formed by highway joints orbridge joints between concrete sections thereof.

In recent years, there have been developed for use as highway jointseals and bridge joint seals elastomer strips which are inserted intohighway and bridge joints to seal the joints against intrusion by water,dirt and the like. The sides of the joint seal strips are in tight,sealing contact with the side walls of the slots forming the joints.

This invention pertains to tools for compressing strips of thischaracter and the like to a width wherein they can be inserted into theslot, after which the strip is ejected from the tool and is allowed toexpand outwardly against the side walls of the slot.

The tools of this invention are designed to compress a length of acompressible strip between a pair of compression plates to a width atwhich the compression plates and the compressed strip can be insertedinto the slot. The compression plates are then withdrawn from the slotWhile another segment of the tool prevents the strip from rising out ofthe slot with the compression plates. In this manner, the strip isejected from the tool and is allowed to expand transversely outwardly totight, sealing contact with the side walls of the slot. The tools of theinvention may be manually operated or power operated.

It is, accordingly, a primary object of this invention to provide toolsfor compressing a compressible strip or a segment thereof and insertingand ejecting the compressed strip in a slot, such as a highway or bridgejoint. Another object of the invention is to provide tools wherein aresilient strip may be compressed between a pair of compression plates,inserted in the compressed state into a slot, and ejected from the toolinto the slot as the compression plates are withdrawn. A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide improvements in mechanism forcompressing and ejecting compressible strips. Still another object ofthe invention is to provide improvements in tools for insertingresilient highway and bridge joint seals in joints between concretesections of the highway or bridge.

The foregoing and numerous other important objects, advantages, andinherent functions of the invention will become apparent as the same ismore fully understood from the following description, which, taken inconnec tion with the accompanying drawings, discloses preferredembodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partially in fragment, of an embodiment ofthe invention in which one of the compression plates is pivotable;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the lowerportion of the compression plates inserted in a highway joint with acompressible strip compressed therebetween;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of another embodiment of the inventionwherein the compression plates have relative reciprocal motion providinga straight-line compression motion;

'FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 3 with the lowerportion of the compression plates in serted in a highway joint with acompressible strip compressed therebetween;

3,246,390 Patented Apr. 19, 1966 FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view takenon line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are, respectively, a top plan view and side and frontelevations of a power-operated tool of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises atool 1 having a frame plate 2 extending longitudinally and horizontallyof the tool. The frame plate 2 has welded to its upper edge a pair ofspaced, cross bars 3, 4 on which are pivotally mounted by means ofhinges 6 journalled in the cross bars 3, 4 a longitudinally-extendingframe plate 5.

The frame plate 2 has fixedly attached thereto, e.g., by welding, anupwardly-directed handle or rod 7, while the pivotally mounted frameplate 5 has similarly fixedly attached thereto an upwardly-directed rodor handle 8, both rods or handles being shown in fragment. A compression plate 9 is fixedly being shown in fragment. A compression plate9 is fixedly attached to ,the inner surface of the frame plate 2 andprojects downwardly beyond the lower edge of the frame plate 2. Asimilar compression plate 10 is fixedly attached to the inner surface ofthe pivotable frame plate 5. The lower portions of the compressionplates 9, 10 are used to compress the compressible strips therebetweenwhen the pivotable frame plate 5 and its compression plate 10 arepivoted toward the frame plate 2 and its compression plate '9 by pushingoutwardly on the handle or rod 8.

The tool '1 has a retainer bar 11 positioned between and extendinglongitudinally of the compression plates 9, 10. This retainer bar 11restrains 'the compressible-strip S from being withdrawn from a slot inwhich the strip is inserted when the compression plates 9, 10 areretracted from the slot by means of mechanism described hereafter. Ateach end of the retainer bar 11 there is a cross bar 12 in which arethreadedly mounted a pair of screws 13. The lower ends of the screws 13act as feet which rest upon the upper surfaces of concrete sections .orthe like on opposite sides of the slot into which the strip is to beinserted. The relative height of the tool with reference to the slot canbe adjusted by adjusting the screws 13 and locking them in position bylock nuts 14. This height adjustment allows the strip S to be insertedin the slot to the desired depth.

' The mechanism for retracting the compression plates 9, 10 from theslot is, in this embodiment, a foot operated mechanism. The frame plate2 has rigidly mounted thereon, e.g., by welding, upwardly-extending arm15 in which is threaded a'bolt 16. The bolt '16 serves as a pivot axisbetween the arm 15 and lever arm 17, shown in fragment, on which isprovided afoot tread plate 1 8.

The lever arms .17 has a longitudinal slot 19 through whichextends inslidable relationship with-the slot 19 the shank of a bolt 20. The bolt20 is threadedly mounted in upwardly-extending plate 21 rigidly attachedto the retainer bar 11. The plate 21 is reciprooable in a channel formedby aback plate 22 rigidly mounted on the frame plate 2 and by side bars23, 24 attached by screws 25 to the back plate 22 along the verticalside edges of the lat- .ter. The heads of the screws 25 slightly overlapthe plate 21 and thereby prevent displacementof the plate 21 from theU-channel formed by the back .plate 22 and side bars 23, 24.

By aplying foot pressure to the foot tread 18, the lever arm 17 becomesa first class lever with its fulcrum at the ,to move upwardly. Rotationof this unit is prevented by the engagements of the sides of the plate21 with the inner 3 sides of the side bars 23, 24. The compressionplates are thereby retracted from the slot 26, i.e., a joint betweenconcrete sections 27, 28 of a highway or bridge, while the resilientstrip S is restrained against upward movement by its upper surfacecoming into contact with the lower surface of the retainer bar 11.During the upward movement of the aforesaid unit, the retainer bar 11,its arms 12 and plate 21 remain fixed. Thus, the resilient strip S isejected from the tool and is allowed to expand into tight, sealingcontact with the side walls of the slot or joint 26.

A long strip can be inserted into a slot 26 by compressing a segment ofthe strip S between the compression plates 9, 10, inserting thecompressed segment of the strip in the slot or joint 26 and ejecting thecompressed segment in the manner aforedescribed. This operation isprogressively repeated along the length of the strip until the entirestrip is inserted the slot or joint.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate still another embodiment of the inventionwherein the compression of the compressible strip is achieved by areciprocal motion of one of the compression plates relative to the othercompression plate instead of a pivotal motion. In this embodiment, thetool comprises an upwardly-extending hand-1e or rod 40 rigidly attachedto a frame plate 41. The frame plate 41 has mounted thereon a pair ofslide rods 42 extending at right angles to the inner face of the plate41. The slide rods 42 may be mounted on the frame plate 41 by anysuitable rigid mounting means, e.g., by threaded ends of the rods 42threadedly mounted in nuts 43 rigidly attached to the outer face of theframe plate 41 by Welding 44. A

compression plate 45, the lower portion of which extends below the loweredge of the frame plate 41, is rigidly attached to the inner face of theframe plate 41.

Each of the rods 42 has slida'bly mounted thereon a slide head orsleeves 46, 47. The slide heads 46, 47 are rigidly attached, e.g., bywelding, to a movable frame plate 48, on which is rigidly mountedcompression plate 49.

The slide heads or sleeves 46, movable frame plate 48 and compressionplate 49 are thus reciprocable toward and away from the compressionplate 45. i The frame plate 48 has a pair of ears 50 projectingoutwardly from its outer face. These ears 50 carry a pin'51 on which ispivotally mounted an arm 52. The arm 52 is threadedly connected with athreaded pin 53 to a pivot head 54 rotatably connected by means of pin55 to a bifurcated, curved lever arm56. The bifurcated arm '56, in turn,is pivotallyconnected by means of pin '57 to an ear 58 on a cross bar 59extending between the slide rods 42 at the outer ends thereof. The crossbar 59 is mounted on the ends of the rods 42 by means of threaded shanks60 extending from the outer ends of the rods 42 and by nuts 61 threadedon the threaded shank 60. The curved lever arm 56 may have a handle orrod 40' mounted thereon or formed integrally therewith.

Pivotal movement of the curved lever arm 56 and its handle 40accomplishes the reciprocal motionof the movable frame plate 48 and itscompression plate 49. When the handle 40' is pivoted toward handle 40,the force transmitted from the lever arm 56 via pivot head 54, threadedpin 53, pivot arm 52 and ears 50 causes the movable plate 48 auditscompression plate 49 to move toward frame plate 41 and its compressionplate 45. This, in turn, compresses a compressible strip, or a segmentthereof, between the lower'ends of the compression plates 45, 49. Thecompressible strip S in the illustrated case is an elastomer strip in alattice work form with longitudinally-extending air spaces between websof elasomer forming the lattice work strip. This type of strip is onetype having successful use as a seal for highway and bridge joints. Thetool can be-used, however, for inserting compressible strips of othertypes in slots.

7 The remaining structure of the embodiments of FIGS. and 4 is similarto corresponding structure previously described for the embodiment ofFIGS. 1 and 2.- The mechanism for withdrawing the compression plates 45,49 from the slot or joint and the structure for supporting the tool onopposite sides of the slot comprise a back plate 62 fixedly attached tothe frame plate 41 and/ or the handle 40. The frame plate 62 has mountedalong ts opposite vertical edges side bars 63, 64 attached to the backplate 62 by means of screws 65. The heads of screws 65 overlap a guideplate 66 slidaible in the U-channel formed by the back plate 62 and sidebars 63, 64. Slide plate 66, in turn, is welded or otherwise rigidlyattached to a frame bar 67 extending longitudinally of the tool. Theframe bar 67 has at opposite ends thereof a pair of cross bars 68 inwhich are threadedly mounted the threaded pins or screws 69 serving asthe feet or support members for the tool. The threaded pins or screws 69are locked in adjusted position by the lock nut 70.

If it is desired to limit the movement of the movable compression plate49, the frame plate 41 may have threadedly mounted therein a pair ofthreaded pins 71, the ends of which act as abutments or stops whichlimit the movement of the plate 49 in a direction toward plate 45.

The mechanism for withdrawing the compression plates 45, 49 from theslot into which the compressible strip 5 is to be inserted includes avertical arm 72 on which is pivotably supported, by means of bolt 75, alever arm 73 having a foot tread plate 74. The lever arm 73 has alongitudinal slot 76 through which extends the shank of bolt 77, whichis threadedly mounted in the slide plate 66.

When the lever arm '73 is pivoted by foot pressure on the foot tread 74about the fulcrum formed by bolt 77, the force transmitted through bolt75 and the arm 72 causes frame plates 41 and 48 and the parts mountedthereon to move upwardly. The compression plates 45, 49 are therebyretracted from the slot, while the lower surface of the retainer bar 67prevents the compressible strip S from rising out of the slot with thecompression plates. The resilient strip S, or the compressed segmentthereof, is left in the slot, e.g., highway or bridge joint, and itexpands, because of its resilient nature, into sealing contact with theside walls of the slot.

The embodiment of FIGS. 6,7 and 8 is similar in many respects to theembodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4, the major difference being that the leversystems for moving the plate 49 toward plate 45 and for withdrawing theplates 45, 49 from the slot are replaced by air-operated motors orhydraulic motors. Where applicable like numerals have been used todesignate like parts.

In this embodiment, a compressed air-operated motor or a hydraulic motor80, comprising a cylinder with an air-driven or hydraulic fluid-drivenpiston (not shown) of conventional construction, is mounted on the crossbar 59 by means of long bolts 81 and nuts 82. The bolts 81 extendthrough flange portions of the end plates 83, 84 of the motor 80. Themotor has fluid inlet and outlet nipples 85, 86 to which are connectedthe hoses of an air pressure or hydraulic pressure device. Fluid, e.g.,air or a hydraulic fluid, is supplied under pressure through nipple 86and exhausted through nipple when a strip is to be compressed betweencompression plates 45, 49. This moves the piston of the motor and itspiston rod 87 toward the compression plate 45. The piston rod 87 isconnected by means of coupler 83 having a flange 89 bolted by bolts 96to the frame plate 48.

With the strip S or a portion thereof compressed between compressionplates 45, 49, the plates and the strip: are inserted into the slot,e.g., concrete joint{ The air pressure or hydraulic fluid pressure inthe motor 84) should be maintained at this stage to prevent thecompressed strip from flowing up past bar 67 which would cause binding.The air motor or hydraulic motor 91 is then activated to withdraw plates45, 49 from the slot.

The end plates 92, 93 of motor 91 have bolts 94 extending therethrough.The threaded end of the bolts extend through in a motor-mounting plateor disc 95, on

which plate 93 rests, and the motor 91 is mounted on plate or disc 95 bytightening nuts 96 against the undersurface of said plate or disc. Theplate 95 is rigidly mounted on vertical support bars 97, 98. The air orhydraulic motor 91 has piston (not shown) with a piston rod 100. Thepiston rod 100 is coupled by a flanged coupler 101 to the retainer bar67.

The bars 97, 98 are rigidly attached to the sides of the cross bar 102mounted on and extending across the upper ends of frame plates 41, 48 byU-brackets 103, 104 bolted by bolts 105 on the upper edges of plates 41,48-. The cross bar 102 is attached, e.g., by bolt 106, to the U- bracket103. It is slidable in the U-bracket 104 whereby frame plate 48 may bereciprocated toward and away from frame plate 41. The piston rod 100extends through a transverse hole in cross bar 102. The rod 100 isslidable in the hole and may, if desired, have a tight, sliding fit insaid hole to provide a bearing support for the rod 100.

The motor 91 has threaded, fluid inlet and outlet nipples 107, 108adapted to be connected with air lines of hydraulic fluid lines of asuitable hydraulic pressure or air pressure device (not shown). When airor hydraulic fluid is admitted through nipple 107 and vented throughnipple 108, the piston (not shown) of motor 91 exerts a downward forceon the piston rod 100. By virtue of the connection of piston rod 100 toretainer bar 67 and connection of support bars 97, 98 to cross bar 102,the unit consisting of the cross bar 102, the U-brackets 103, 104, frameplates 41, 48, their respective compression plates 45, 49, the rods 42,and the units mounted thereon (including motor 80) are raised when themotor 91, excepting its piston and piston rod 100, raises as a result ofthe pressure of fiuid admitted through nipple 107, which exerts alifting force against inner side of the upper wall 92 of the motor. Thestrip S is prevented from rising out of the slot with compression plates45, 49 when its upper surface contacts the undersurface of retainer bar67. The latter, as well as its arms 68, vertical bars 97, 98, and pistonand piston rod 100, remain stationary as the rest of the mechanismraises to withdraw compression plates 45, 49 from the slot, e.g.,concrete joint.

It'is' thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantageswill be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it isobvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit orscope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages,the forms herein disclosed being preferred embodiments for the purposeof illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A tool for inserting a compressible strip in a slot, said toolcomprising a vertically disposed, horizontally elongated frame member; ahorizontal, elongated bar extending horizontally adjacent the lowerportion of said frame member; a first, vertical, horizontally elongatedcompression plate on one side of said bar and fixedly attached to saidframe member; a second, horizontally elongated compression plate on theopposite side of said bar and disposed opposite to and spaced from saidfirst plate, the lower portions of said plates projecting below thelower side of said bar to provide therebetween a downwardly open,horizontally elongated zone for embracing a compressible strip belowsaid bar and between said lower portions of said plates; means mountedon said frame member for providing relative movement of said secondplate toward and away from said first plate; means mounted on said barand operatively connected to said frame member for moving said framemember, said plates, and said first-mentioned means upwardly relative tosaid bar to withdraw said projecting lower portions of said plates fromthe slot, the ends of said horizontal bar projecting beyond therespective ends of said plates; a horizontal cross bar attached to andextending transversely at each respective, projecting end of saidelongated bar, and a foot including a vertical, threaded shankthreadedly mounted in each end portion of said cross bars, whereby saidlower portions of said plates with a compressible strip compressedtherebetween may be inserted in a slot with said feet resting on surfaceon opposite sides of said slot, and said compressed strip may be ejectedfrom said lower portions of said plates into said slot when said framemember, said plates and said first-mentioned means are moved upwardlyrelative to said bar, said bar preventing said strip from movingupwardly with said plates and thereby holding said strip for ejectionfrom said plates.

2. A tool as claimed in claim 1, said means for providing relativemovement comprising rods mounted on and extending horizontally from saidframe member, frame means slidably mounted on said rods and supportingsaid second plate essentially parallel with said first plate, and meanscarried by said rods for pushing said frame means and said second platetoward said first plate to compress said strip between said lowerportions of said plates.

3. A tool as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means carried by said rodsincludes a cross bar on the outer ends of said rods, on which cross baris pivotally mounted a lever, said lever, in turn, being operativelyconnected to said frame means by pivot linkage means.

4. A tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means carried by said rodsincludes a piston-type, fluid operated motor, the piston rod of which isconnected to said frame means.

5. A tool as claimed in claim 2, said means carried by said rodsincluding a piston-type, fluid operated motor, the piston rod of whichis connected to said frame means; and wherein said means providing saidrelative movement comprises a fluid motor with a piston in a cylinderand a piston rod projecting therefrom, and means operatively connectingsaid cylinder and said piston rod with said frame member and said barfor effecting said relative movement upon fluid-operated movement ofsaid piston in said cylinder.

6. A tool as claimed in claim 1, said means for providing relativemovement comprising hinges mounted on said frame member and hingedlysupporting said second plate thereon for pivotal movement about ahorizontal pivot axis adjacent the upper edge of said second plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,839,429 1/1932Weaver 29-235 2,276,542 3/1942 Kovanda 94 s1 2,761,199 9/1956 Allen 2923s 3,007,240 11/1961 Heinrich 29 23s FOREIGN PATENTS 88,425 6/1958Netherland.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner.

1. A TOOL FOR INSERTING A COMPRESSIBLE STRIP IN A SLOT, SAID TOOLCOMPRISING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED, HORIZONTALLY ELONGATED FRAME MEMBER; AHORIZONTAL, ELONGATED BAR EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY ADJACENT THE LOWERPORTION OF SAID FRAME MEMBER; A FIRST, VERTICAL, HORIZONTALLY ELONGATEDCOMPRESSION PLATE ON ONE SIDE OF SAID BAR AND FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO SAIDFRAME MEMBER; A SECOND, HORIZONTALLY ELONGATED COMPRESSION PLATE ON THEOPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID BAR AND DISPSOED OPPOSITE TO AND SPACED FROM SAIDFIRST PLATE, THE LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID PLATES PROJECTING BELOW THELOWER SIDE OF SAID BAR TO PROVIDE THEREBETWEEN A DOWNWARDLY OPEN,HORIZONTALLY ELONGATED ZONE FOR EMBRACING A COMPRESSIBLE STRIP BELOWSAID BAR AND BETWEEN SAID LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID PLATES; MEANS MOUNTEDON SAID FRAME MEMBER FOR PROVIDING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID SECONDPLATE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST PLATE; MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BARAND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME MEMBER FOR MOVING SAID FRAMEMEMBER, SAID PLATES, AND SAID FIRST-MENTIONED MEANS UPWARDLY RELATIVE TOSAID BAR TO WITHDRAW SAID PROJECTING LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID PLATES FROMTHE SLOT, THE ENDS OF SAID HORIZONTAL BAR PROJECTING BEYOND THERESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID PLATES; A HORIZONTAL CROSS BAR ATTACHED TO ANDEXTENDING TRANSVERSELY AT EACH RESPECTIVE, PROJECTING END OF SAIDELONGATED BAR, AND A FOOT INCLUDING A VERTICAL, THREADED SHANKTHREADEDLY MOUNTED IN EACH END PORTION OF SAID CROSS BARS, WHEREBY SAIDLOWER PORTIONS OF SAID PLATES WITH A COMPRESSIBLE STRIP COMPRESSEDTHEREBETWEEN MAY BE INSERTED IN A SLOT WITH SAID FEET RESTING ON SURFACEON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SLOT, AND SAID COMPRESSED STRIP MAY BE EJECTEDFROM SAID LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID PLATES INTO SAID SLOT WHEN SAID FRAMEMEMBER, SAID PLATES AND SAID FIRST-MENTIONED MEANS ARE MOVED UPWARDLYRELATIVE TO SAID BAR, SAID BAR PREVENTING SAID STRIP FROM MOVINGUPWARDLY WITH SAID PLATES AND THEREBY HOLDING SAID STRIP FOR EJECTIONFROM SAID PLATES.